Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Jerusalem (Agenzia Fides) - Santiago de Compostela, Rome and Jerusalem have always been connected by Christian pilgrims. In the Middle Ages Christians set out to walk the length and breadth of the continent along the peregrinationes maiores to reach the beloved symbol cities. To rediscover the Christian roots of Europe and revive the spirit and faith of those mediaeval times, these three cities are taking part in a religious and cultural programme “Holy Cities” to be presented on November 15.
Information in various languages can be obtained on line from 15 November at three different addresses: English www.holycities.info; Spanish www.ciudadessantas.com; Italian www.cittasante.org, which offers a version in Jewish.
The programme will involve public and private subjects, religious communities, and institutes of culture, civil society associations, church groups and various other bodies anxious to revive Christian pilgrimage today.
The spirit of the initiative is to launch an ongoing Jubilee of faith and joy between the three city symbols of the universal Christian message. Pilgrims from all over the world will be encouraged to retrace the footsteps of their forefathers to Santiago de Compostela to pray at the tomb of the Apostle James disciple of Jesus, to Rome to pray at the tomb of Peter and receive the blessing of his Successor the Pope, and on to Jerusalem to pray and rejoice at the Holy Sepulchre, where the Son of God Jesus Christ was buried and rose from the dead in order to open for all mankind the path to eternal life.
The programme “Città sante, un progetto comune per il futuro” (Holy Cities a common project for the future) will be presented in Rome on 15 November at 7pm at Palazzo Ferrajoli, Piazza Colonna. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/11/2006 righe 26 parole 264)
